Mali Mish

Marlene and Dan, together with their three children and Yoda the cat, live on the move. Home is their RV – named Mali Mish, which is Croatian for “Little Mouse” – and wherever they happen to find themselves. It could be under a big sky in Montana, in the shadow of Mexican Hat in Utah, under a canopy of hot air balloons in Albuquerque, or anywhere their wanderlust takes them.

The story of Mali Mish began in 2007. Dan and Marlene had just had their first child, a baby girl called Ava, and decided to do what most rookie parents would never dream of. They hit the road, baby in tow, with no intention of parking for the long haul. They made their way across America’s southwest in a little camper. Two years later, following the birth of their second daughter, Mila, they went all in and purchased an Airstream, traveling across the US from California to Florida. They returned with a stirring inside. There was no question about it – this was how they wanted to spend their lives. Since then, Mali Mish has taken them across all 49 drivable states as well as much of Canada and Mexico. In 2012, a baby boy, Luka, joined the traveling family.

Although many people cannot relate and even question if they are doing the best thing for their kids, Dan and Marlene are adamant that their children have a say in their life on the road and can’t imagine a playground smaller than the world. “Our children lead a rich life, full of unique opportunities that many don’t experience in a lifetime. And although our lifestyle may be trending now, when we first set out in 2008 it was not considered hip,” says Marlene.

When Dan is not chauffeuring his family around, he can be found looking down at his iPhone, trying to find the next great boondocking spot. But how do they make ends meet while they’re on the road? Dan works as a remote web developer, while Marlene homeschools their three children.

While a variety of vehicles, including an Airstream, four-wheel truck camper and Casita trailer, have kept the family on the road, Dometic helps them stay there.

“We have everything you need here, a roof over our heads, a bed to sleep in. And feeding a family of five in a confined space is not a challenge. Our Dometic oven and range cooker does a terrific job of keeping us well fed. And we have a two-way fridge/freezer (also from Dometic) to ensure food and drink stay fresh and chilled. Some folks, who perhaps don’t know much about mobile living, mistakenly believe it’s a really primitive lifestyle. It isn’t,” says Marlene with a smile. “We have a toilet just like everyone else.” Theirs just happens to come from Dometic.

“Over the years, we have experienced extremes of temperature. That’s where our Dometic Fantastic fans come in very handy, keeping the air fresh in our RV at all times. And we’re about to install a few additional Dometic products, like the new CFX fridge-freezer. That’ll be perfect for us,” adds Marlene.

Mali Mish has ventured through most of North America – from Alaska to Newfoundland-Labrador, from the beaches of Oaxaca, Mexico, to the Florida Keys. It doesn't matter if they are traveling in an Airstream, truck camper, or Casita trailer, this family is on a mission to see as much of the world as they can.

“Life is short and we wouldn’t want to live any other way,” concludes Dan.